Behind the Scenes

I am back from filming two seasons of episodes of PBS's Knit and Crochet Today. The production was done at Detroit PBS and produced by Candi Jensen (yes, that Candi Jensen - author of many crochet and knitting books). To say my last week has been interesting would be an understatement. I didn't know what I was in for but was up for anything. Thank goodness I have a laid back personality because last week was not the time to be uppity.

I won't spill the details but I thought it would be fun to show you some of the real behind the scenes things that make a t.v. show become a t.v. show. As knitters and crafters, I know you like to learn about what goes into a project. And this was a big project!

I stood at a table with the Host of the show Brett Bara. Brett is Editor in Chief of Crochet Today, a fabulous magazine full of fashionable and fun crochet projects. I demonstrated knitting - me being the "Knitting Expert" (?) that I am. When you are standing there, after being wired with a microphone under your shirt and out the top, this is what you look at..... This is a side view and not what I was looking at. A whole bunch of cameras and so many lights it makes you dizzy.


Here's a close-up of one of the cameras - as you can see there is a teleprompter in front of the camera - not for me but for Brett. They were counting on me to wing it all. It's a bit disconcerting because as you are taping, you don't see anyone. I barely even noticed Brett because I was so focused on my work hoping I wouldn't screw up so they would have to do a second take.


Here's the overhead camera. It's filming in close every stitch I took.


Here's the guy who runs the overhead camera. Looks like a skill to run the thing, doesn't it?


On the set, there was me, Brett, Fred (the floor manager letting us know how we were doing on time) and 4 cameras. All pointing and looking at us. Thank goodness they were so friendly and encouraging.

Behind the scenes is another story. Here's "the bridge" whatever that means.... There were eight people in there all doing something important including Candi Jensen, our Producer.


Here's the controls behind the bridge - another two people.


I guess it's like anything else - it takes a lot of people to make something that looks simple materialize. Besides all the behind the scenes people and Brett Bara, the Host, the other expert - who is a real "Crochet Expert" was Drew Emborsky - a.k.a. "The Crochet Dude." Both Drew and I were experiencing trial by fire and we developed quite a bit of comraderie. He really is quite the dude - fun, witty, smart, and a super talented crocheter. He's got some magic going on on the small screen - you all will love watching him.

I thank all the people at K&CT for asking me to come and putting up with me. I hope it all turns out fine and that people keep knitting and crocheting - as that is the point of the entire thing. I will let you all know when these episodes start airing - it should be sometime next fall.